Ventilating apparatus for buildings



July 31, 1934- G. G. GRoTHAus 1,968,680

VENTILATING APPARATUS FOR BUILDINGS Filed Feb'. 25. 1951 2 sheets-sheet1 'IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII1I'IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIAOo zu a" 4 l m g e m 16 nf 9 a a ze m n n le n u 0 K\\ n z i l 9,-*21 l I I l l I l 1"" ""g m f5s 5 19 l j 5 mf m 7) -55 a ,18 Z6 f m l n f f f7 n 5 l z fe 17\ .t "i um 41' #a 3,16 /36 f4 47 5 A ATTORNEY July 31, 1934. G. G. GRoTHAUsVENTILATINCT APPARATUS FOR BUILDINGS Filed Feb. 25. 19341 2 Sheets-Sheet2' R O T N E V m BY aww.

ATTORNEY Patented July 3l, 1934 PATENT FFICE VENTILATIN G APPARATUS FOR.

BUILDIN Gerard George Grothaus, Cincinnati, Ohio Application February25, 1931, Serial No. 518,204

2 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in ventilating apparatus for.buildings, particularly buildings constructed from concrete blocks. Oneof its objects is to provide improved means to 5 ventilate the rooms andwalls of theV building whereby the walls, both above and below theground. level are kept dr'y and practically free from excessivemoisture, and supplied with fresh air, while foul air, smoke and othergases are l discharged to the exterior of the'building. Another objectis to provide for an automatic ventilationr and control of the aircirculation except where positively adjusted by the operator. Anotherobject is to provide for an improved arrangement of blocks in the Wallstructure to provide for ventilationin harmony with other structurefeatures. My invention comprises means for simultaneously supplyingfresh-air to the interiorof the building and discharging foul air, smokeand other-gases therefrom, consisting of siphon blocks constructed witha pair of passages or portsand so arranged that while foul air and othergases are discharged through one port tothe exterior fresh air enters tothe interior through the other port.

My invention also comprehends a novel arrangement of siphon cap blocksand siphon regulating air blocks placed upon the top row of the wall andeach having one end projecting preferably beyondthe outer face of theWall.

My invention also includes a pair of air ports in some of the blocksbeneath the ceiling in each room on each floor and is provided with twodampers and controlled by one adjusting device for automatic ventilationof the air circulation after it is adjusted by the operator.

My invention further consists in providing some of the blocks forsimultaneously receiving and discharging the air with drainage means.

My invention also comprises certain details of form and arrangement andcombination of components, all of which will be fully set forth in thedescription of the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through a building embodying myimprovements.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the detached blocks, in invertedposition.

Fig. 3 is an inverted perspective view of an other block.

Fig. 4 is an inverted perspective View of another block.

Fig. 5 is an inverted perspective view of another block and damperregulating means.

Flg. 8 is an inverted perspective. view of a block similar to Fig. 2.

Fig. '1 is-a sectional detail through a portion of the wall, and

. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of the blocks @'3- employed.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one embodiment of my invention inwhich as illustrated in Fig. v1-the exteriorwalls` of a building arevconstructed from aseries of concrete blocks, CF most of which blocks areof the general pattern shown in Fig. 8. Other blocks of special designssubstantially as shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5, and` 6 are employed to alimited extent and set in the walls o f the building so as to provideinlet and exit Ventilating conduits for such rooms or compartments ofthe building as it may be desired to ventilate.

As illustrated a stone or concrete footing 15 ne provided at the bottomof the excavation upon which to support the'walls of the building. Ahorizontal row or series of blocks 16 in which is included one or morespecial blocks 17, shown in Fig. 3 is mounted upon the footing 15 withcement joints; other horizontal rows of blocks 16 are successively builtinto place one above the other with the joints between the blocks brokenuntil the basement wall rises above the ground level 18 and the basementwall is completed up to the locality where' it is desired to locatejoists 85 19 to support the first oor of the building 20.

A horizontal row of blocks similar to blocks 16, except that they areprovided with oiset recesses 21 to receive and permit the ends of thejoists to enter and be supported upon the wall is then laid and the endsof the joists 19 mounted therein. One or more blocks 22 of the specialform shown in Fig- 4 are included in the row of blocks next below thejoists 19. One or more blocks 22 are included in the horizontal row ofblocks 95 16 above the next set of joists. The walls are built up fromhorizontal rows of blocks 16 to a height Where it is desired to insertjoists to support the second floor, where the building is to be twostories or more in height, or to a locality where the roof is to beapplied if the building is to be of one story.

I provide a horizontal row of cap blocks composed partly of blocks ofspecial form 24, shown in Fig. 2 and partly of blocks or special form25, 105 shown in Fig. 6. The blocks 24 and 25 may if desired be deeperthan the blocks 16, and blocks 24 and 25 are set in the wall so thattheir inclined portions overhang or extend out beyond the face of theWall as shown at the upper righthand corner in Fig. 1. Above the row ofcap blocks is laid a horizontal row of blocks 26 similar to blocks 16having offset recesses 2l to receive and support the ends of the roofjoists 27. The usual coping 73 is adapted to be attached to the front orouter face of the row of blocks 26, and the roof 30 may be either iiator inclined.

The blocks 16 are each provided with a central partition 32 and twovertical channels 33. The blocks 16 are also provided with lateralnotches or recesses 34, which serve to laterally connect the verticalchannels 33 formed in the walls as the blocks are assembled and therebyprovide for a free circulation of air from one channel 33 to another tokeep the Walls dry and to allow any moisture which mightenter any of thechannels 33 to flow to the bottom of said channels and reach the top ofthe footing l5, -and thence to escape through ports formed lin theblocks 17 to the cement oor 36 of the basement, and thence to flow toand escape through the drain pipe 37.

The blocks 17 are provided with ports 40 and 41 leading from the bottomsof the channels 33 into the basement chamber close to the floor 36.Metal rectangular frames 42 (see Fig. 5) are cemented into the ports 40and 41 and are closed by means of metal doors 44 hinged to the frames 42and opened and closed to greater or less degree by means of links 45 andvertically adjustable push rods 46, adapted to be latched to differentpositions of adjustment by means of spring latch members .47. The doors44 even when closed to not prevent escape of water from the channels 33to the drain, or a sufficient circulation of air to the channels 33 tokeep the walls dry.

The blocks 22 are provided with ports 50 and 51 in which are cementedrectangular metal frames 52 similar to the frames 42 and provided withdoors 53, actuated by links 54 and push rods 55 similar to those shownin Fig. 5, and substantially as shown in Fig. 7.

The blocks 25 are provided with recesses 60 and 61. but have no lateralchannels or recesses 34. The blocks 25 are provided with ports 63 and 64leading from the exterior of the building into the recesses 60 and 61-The ports 63 and 64 overhang the outer edges of the blocks 16, and hencecommunicate with the external air, while at the same time being directeddownwardly and protected against the entrance of rain or snow. The ports60 and 61 have rectangular metal frames 66 cemented around the recesses60 and 61, and, doors 67 hinged to said frames and adjustable by meansof links 68 and push rods 69, substantially as shown in Figs. 5 and 7.By partially or entirely opening the doors 67, an air current will entereither port 63 or 64, and a corresponding flow of air in reversedirection will occur through the other port 63 or 64 therebyautomatically supplying fresh air to the room and removing foul airtherefrom. The amount of ventilation may be regulated by the extent towhich the doors 67 are opened. A block 25 and pair of doors 67 isprovided for each room on the first or top floor. The blocks 24 are setin the row with blocks 25 and have ports or recesses 70 and 71corresponding to the ports 63 and 64 of blocks 25, which overhang theblocks 16 and communicate with vertical channels 33 in the wall toVentilate the wall channels, and some of the blocks 24 supply airthrough Vertical channels 33 to the doors 44, and to the doors 53. Thedoors 53 serve to admit fresh air and discharge foul air from the upperportion' of the basement, while the doors 44 drain water from thechannels 33, and circulate fresh ai-r to and foul air from the lowerportion of the basement.

The Ventilating ports being arranged in pairs, are both exposed topractically the same conditions of wind and air pressure, and hence itis only the very slight differences in air pressure at one of a pair ofVentilating ports which predisposes the air current to enter through onechannel, and this air current can only occur when a current ina reversedirection is set up inthe other Ventilating channel of the pair, therebyproviding for a reliable Ventilation of the interior space or spaces.The Ventilating ports are preferably spaced apart from each other.

While the lower water draining door when closed serves to close the flowof air to any extent, there is still left a narrow groove or channel 72at the bottom of each port 40 and 41 through which water may be drained,and through which a small quantity of air may be circulated, sufiicientto keep the air channels of the walls, even below the ground level, andthe cellar or basement compartment practically free from moisturewithout chilling or excessively Ventilating the basement or cellar.

The apparatus herein shown and described is capable of considerablemodification Within the scope of the claims without departing from thespirit of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. A Ventilating wall structure comprising a plurality of concreteblocks having vertical and lateral interconnected channels adapted todrain moisture from said wall structure and enable air to circulatetherein, said channels being connected with interior and exterior portsto permit fresh air to enter and foul air to escape, some of said blocksbeing provided with grooves at the bottom of the interior ports topermit the drainage of water therethrough, said interior ports beinglocated in the bottom row of blocks.

2. A Ventilating structure having walls with intei-connected verticaland lateral channels adapted to drain moisture from the walls and toenable air to flow therein, said wall being provided with a horizontalrow of blocks projecting beyond the external line of the wall near thetop thereof, one or more of said projecting blocks being provided withdownwardly directed outer ports in pairs communicating with the exteriorof said walls, inner ports in pairs communicating with the interior ofsaid walls, a passageway connecting the said inner and outer ports withthe said channels in said walls and means for controlling the ow of airthrough said inner ports.

GERARD GEORGE GROTHAUS.

